ESL Podcast 440 – Being a Self-Made Man/Woman

Edgar: What a crock!

Ann: What is it?

Edgar: I’m reading an article about successful business people who were self-made men and women. I don’t believe a word of it.

Ann: What don’t you believe?

Edgar: These people didn’t pull themselves up by their bootstraps. They were all born with silver spoons in their mouths.

Ann: Not all successful people were born into money and privilege¹.

Edgar: That’s true, but it gets me riled up when people who grew up at the country club claim to have had humble² beginnings.

Ann: Just because some people were born with a leg up doesn’t mean they didn’t work hard to get where they are.

Edgar: Where would that hard work have gotten them if they didn’t have backers with deep pockets, or if they didn’t know people in high places? I know plenty of hard-working people who aren’t hobnobbing with the rich and famous.

Ann: That’s true enough. Who needs the rich and famous? I’ll take my hard-working man over any of them any day.

Edgar: That’s why I married you – a woman with beauty and brains!


Script³ by Dr⁴. Lucy Tse

1 privilege   

n.特权，优惠，特许；v.给予优惠，给予特权

参考例句：

• Of course,no country has the privilege of fishing in our coastal water.当然，在我国的领海内没有一个国家有捕鱼的特权。
• He never abuses his privilege.他从不滥用特权。

2 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

3 script   

n.剧本，广播稿；文字体系；笔迹，手迹

参考例句：

• It's easy to identify his script.他的笔迹容易辨认。
• The script is massaged into final form.这篇稿子经过修改已定稿。

4 Dr   

n.医生，大夫；博士(缩)（= Doctor）

参考例句：

• Dr.Williams instructs us in botany.威廉博士教我们植物学。
• The ward of the hospital is in the charge of Dr.Green.医院的这间病房由格林医生负责。